For Immediate Release – Lawton, OK, Dec. 3, 2004
Photo available upon request
Cameron University’s school of business
allots $20,000 for scholarship endowment
Cameron University’s portfolio management I and II classes have been successfully investing real money
for more than 15 years. Now they’re investing in their own future.
The Cameron University School of Business has established a $20,000 Cameron/BancFirst Investment
Portfolio (CBIP) endowed scholarship fund, which will provide two $500 scholarships to an undergraduate
and graduate student.
The classes’ shrewd investments, which are made possible through a $1 million line of credit extended by
BancFirst, have reaped more than $247,000 since beginning the portfolio classes in 1988. Last year alone,
the classes profited more than $33,000 of which $20,000 was used to establish the CBIP scholarship fund,
said Dr. T.K. Bhattacharya, professor of business.
“Our students put in a lot of work, a lot of expertise into the portfolio classes,” Bhattacharya said. “Using the
profits from their successful efforts to give other students an opportunity, speaks of the caliber of students
we have here at Cameron.”
The scholarship announcement came earlier this week at portfolio classes’ end-of-the-semester banquet.
Bhattacharya said the endowment will need time to grow, so the scholarships will not be available until the
Fall 2006 semester.
(over)
scholarship, ADD ONE
“It will take a little while for the interest to build up,” said Bhattacharya, explaining that the money used for
the scholarships comes solely from the interest on the original $20,000 endowment. “My hope is, as the
amount in the endowment increases, that we’ll be able to increase the amount of the scholarships we give
per year. But that will take time.”
Applications for the new scholarships can be submitted beginning in the Spring 2006 semester. Students
applying must be a business major, have a sophomore or higher classification, and submit two references
along with the application. For those students applying for the undergraduate scholarship they must hold a
grade point average of 3.00 and the graduate students must have a 3.5 grade point average.
– 30 –
PR#04-279
Editors and Broadcasters: For details, contact CU Government & Community Relations at 580.581.2211.
Photo caption information: Doug Meier, president of BancFirst, presents a $20,000 check on behalf of the
Cameron University School of Business to Todd Bridges, president and
chairman of the Cameron University Foundation. The check will be used to set
up an endowed scholarship fund for future business students.